Cooperative Extension has new LED sign to promote events at Fairgrounds

Photos by Tom Rivers: Robert Batt, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, experiments with programming a new LED sign that went “live” today at the fairgrounds.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 May 2018 at 1:31 pm

KNOWLESVILLE – A new electronic LED sign was turned on for the first time this morning at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

The Extension received a $4,535.75 grant to purchase and install the sign. The funding for the Extension was approved by the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority. The State Department of Agriculture and Markets provided the funding. It is part of nearly $600,000 for research, promotion, and development projects to strengthen New York State’s diverse agricultural industry and spur economic growth across the state, according to Richard Ball, the State agriculture commissioner, who announced the funding in March.

Robert Batt, the Cooperative Extension executive director, said the new sign will allow the Extension to promote several events at the fairgrounds. The previous sign, with letters that had to be set by hand, only listed one event.

Howard Watts, the facility coordinator for the Extension, and Robert Batt, Extension executive director, are pictured with the new sign. Some additional work will be done on the frame.

“Before we could only highlight one thing,” Batt said. “Now we can highlight 4 or 5 things.”

He also wants the sign to include some agriculture facts.

Howard Watts, the facility coordinator for the Extension, had the frame ready last week. He worked on the electric this morning, and the sign went live for the first time at about 11 a.m.

This photo from July 2013 shows Extension Director Robert Batt, who was then the president of the Fair Board, and Kerri Richardson, who was then community educator for the Cornell Cooperative Extension, gearing up for 4-H Fair in Knowlesville. A new digital sign will allow the organization to list more events.